Watchdog
by jato unit
Summary: one shot . challenge . femslash . AlicexBella . Alice Cullen knows that she'll always be second best.


**AN: **Haha. I never thought I'd actually ever get a challenge, but I did. I was asked by Black-Rose-Of-Night to write an AlicexBella story. Now I've never written femslash before and I don't really support this pairing, thus it being called a 'challenge'. Hopefully this'll turn out okay.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Twilight.

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**WATCHDOG**

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_I'm no better than Edward_, Alice thinks as she stares at Bella's slumbering form, unable to pull her eyes away even though she'd promised to an hour ago. It's impossible to do so. Bella is just too… _enticing_. The way she's sprawled out on the soft mattress, completely bathed in pale moonlight that makes her body glow, has unraveled the last knot of Alice's self control.

Bella is much too beautiful for her own good. Not only does she attract humans, she attracts monsters like Alice and Edward as well. Guilt wells up from the pit of Alice's gut. She shouldn't be lusting after her brother's girlfriend like this. It's wrong on so many levels, yet at that moment she doesn't want to be anywhere else but by Bella's side. She wants to protect her from whatever could do her harm while she slumbers, completely unaware of Alice's unwavering gaze. Alice feels like she now understands Edward's need to watch Bella sleep every night. The same fear Edward feels whenever he doesn't have Bella in his line of sight has taken hold of her too. Bella is so breakable. She's the porcelain doll that falls off the shelf too much. It's difficult to imagine leaving her on her own for more than a second and return to find her unharmed.

Of course, protecting Bella is only one half of why Alice can't pull her eyes away. The other half, the pure, perverse desire to gaze upon Bella at her most vulnerable, should make her face burn with shame, but it can't. Not anymore. It's a disgustingly primitive feeling, this desire. It makes Alice feel more like a monster than ever before. Thoughts of breaking Bella often flit through her brain, reminding her that she, like the rest of her family, could maim the girl effortlessly. It would be like batting an eyelash and that terrifies Alice. She wishes that Edward would hurry up and change Bella so that she wouldn't have to be so scared all the time, scared that she might push the boundaries too far, that she might leave Bella beyond repair. Alice spends much of her time fearing for Bella now.

_You're too breakable_, she thinks as she gingerly brushes a lock of Bella's sleek, dark hair out of her face. Bella's eyelids flutter, but she does not wake much to Alice's relief. She doesn't want this serene moment to end just yet. She wants to admire Bella for a little longer if only for just a few more seconds.

Seconds turn into minutes and minutes turn into hours. Alice is completely unaware of the passing of time until she spies the first few golden rays of sunrise spill into the room. They illuminate Bella's form and Alice, who observes from the shadows, decides that she looks much better in sunlight than in moonlight.

A gentle blush graces Bella's cheeks as she mumbles Edward's name before rolling onto her other side, twisting the crisp, white sheets around her body, and a sad smile plays upon Alice's lips. She knows that Bella will only dream of Edward, never of her. She will always be the best friend, the replacement guardian that takes over whenever Edward is away. Alice Cullen will always be second best. She's just the watchdog.

Alice murmurs an apology as she gets up, but isn't quite sure what she's apologizing for. She's almost certain that it's for feeling the way she does, but it might be for watching Bella sleep. Alice decides that 

it's for both. Feeling unhappy and somewhat heartbroken, she slips out of the room, putting on the mask she wears in front of her family. It fools everyone but Jasper, but even he can't get the truth out of Alice. Her feelings for Bella are a well-kept secret and she plans to keep it that way.

The door shuts with a soft click and Alice glides into the living room with a big smile plastered to her face. She doesn't hear the name that tumbles from Bella's lips and, for once, the name isn't Edward's.

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**AN:** I think I just made myself a semi-fan of this pairing.


End file.
